I agree that PETA is VERY extreme. And scary.

I have been to a couple of PETCO's, and they looked like very nice, clean stores. The animals seemed happy, had lots of room and toys. None of them looked ill, and the employees seemed caring and knowledgeable.

However .... I don't shop there. I have a rule that I will not spend any money at any store that sells live animals. Why? Because of the source of those animals. Even if the store itself takes good care of the animals, the animals - by default - have come from a mill. Pet stores get their animals from breeding mills, because a reputable, private breeder won't sell to a pet store. If any of you have even had the misfortune to visit a puppy mill or a bird mill, you know how horrible the conditions are there. The babies are the "lucky" ones - they at least get out, go to a pet store, and have a chance of being sold to a loving home. The "breeding stock" that is stuck in the mill will spend their entire lives in a tiny cage, churning out babies for sale, until they die of exhaustion, then they will be replaced by the next breeder. It is the saddest fate.

So ... getting off my soapbox now .....